PART 51

The day went well for ASR and so did for the other S.T.F. officers who had to endure their highly peevish and crabby chief ever since khushi was admitted in the hospital.Throughout the day khushi had to keep up with hawk-eyed surveillance of ASR who seemed to quite literally appear out of the blue whenever she was doing what he reminded her as ''over exerting''.

He babied her to kittens and finally,irked by his unnecessary pamperings she put her foot down.

''I can look after myself.You're overreacting!''She had told him when he had stopped her from going to Devnagar bus depot for investigation of a case that S.T.F. was currently handling.

No amount of persuasion from ASR had deterred khushi from going there and at last he had to give in.

ACP Arnav Singh Raizada leaned back on his backed chair,his mind whizzing with anxiety about khushi so much so that he was unable to concentrate on any of the files that he was reading.It had been almost an hour since she had gone and her cell was not reachable.Though,he knew that it was perfectly common in that part of Delhi,yet he couldn't get rid of a nagging premonition.

Annoyed,he snapped the files shut,and switched on the T.V. to distract himself and the news made him jump out of his seat as if he were electrocuted.

A terrible blast had shook the entire Devnagar.The blast which had taken place due to short circuit in a L.P.G. cylinder agency that was quite close to the bus depot had caused wide spread casualties leaving several people injured or maimed.The fire had spread,building,licking and destroying everything that came its way and the Fire Department was having a hell of a time controlling it.

ASR felt his head whirl and he had to clutch the edge of desk to steady himself. Khushi had gone to the same locality and probably was there at the time of the blast.

He took out his cell phone and punched her number,still it was unreachable.Fear gripped  him and he shook like a dried leaf from head to foot!What if something had happened to  her?What if he had lost her?The prospect was just too horrendous to imagine!

ASR dashed out of his cabin,ignoring his team's bewildered gaze.He collided head first with Chandru as he rushed towards the elevator but didn't stop to hear the latter's apologies.Everything could wait.First he had to ensure that his khushi was safe!

He drove like a lunatic,uncaring for traffic rules and invoking several angry honking at his preposterous driving.He reached Devnagar in record time and what he saw scared him to core.It was the night of living dead.The sirens of ambulance and police cars filled the air and so did the anguished cries of bereaved families.Injured were groaning in pain,bleeding profusely.Charred corpses littered the ground and air was redolent with reek of burnt flesh,plastics and rubber.Numerous shops,buses and automobiles were covered in black soot, their doors and windows blasted off!

People roamed about calling and searching for their loved ones.ASR rushed about the place,calling for khushi.He couldn't bear to look at the dead bodies for the fear that he might see his khushi there!Hot,burning pain scalded and mangled his heart and his tears flowed freely.

''KHUSHI!''He yelled,but he couldn't find her.His desperation mounted with every second.

Tired he kneeled down,burying his face in his hand,his mind numb with fear and angst.He didn't know whether to blame his hate or himself for the whole debacle.

ASR knew that if anything happened to khushi,he would never be able to live with himself.She was his heart,his breath,his everything and life without her was a grotesque,barren prospect.

''Arnavji!''He heard a sweet voice,her voice and he looked up.

There she was,standing near a burnt tree entirely covered in soot,but visibly uninjured and ASR thought he was hallucinating.

''Khushi!Khushi!''He cried,reaching her with wobbly legs.

He touched her face like a blind man,tears cascading down his cheeks.

''Khushi,are you ok?Are you...are you injured somewhere?''ASR asked desperately chocking.

But before khushi could say something he caught her in a bear hug.

''Khushi,I was so worried!I thought I had lost you!Please promise me that you will never leave me..I..I can't live without you!''He whispered,repeatedly kissing her forehead,still not over the trauma that he had nearly lost her.

ASR caught her face tightly in his hands and kissed her hard on her lips,rendering her shocked.Khushi was too stunned to react and her muscles locked down as if for the impact,but his warmth gradually  thawed her out and so she kissed him back.

Khushi entangled her hands in his hair,caressing him and ASR's one hand wound around her waist tightly,while other memorized the contours of her waist.They stood there locked in their fierce embrace,blissfully oblivious to their pathetic scenario!

They had found their love.....

PART-50

Khushi stood in front of the S.T.F. office,staring at the imposing building in profound contentment.She had missed the place so much that it was almost like homesickness.

She was greeted with loud cheers and bouquets by each person,whether an officer or peon,as soon as she entered,making her blush furiously.She was overwhelmed with the enthusiastic reception that she got.

''Welcome back khushi!I missed you a lot!''Lavanya yelled above the ensuing hulla baloo,hugging her bestest friend with all her might.

Khushi was nearly passed from one hand to the other and everyone hugged or patted her back encouragingly.

''Hi there gal pal!How are you?''Rahul,another S.T.F. officer pulled her in a friendly hug.

''I'm absolutely fine!Thanks!''Khushi replied,grinning sheepishly.

ACP Arnav Singh Raizada was seeing the entire scene unfold from the glass window of his cabin and he was having a tough time stifling his possessive streak off as he saw khushi surrounded by the crowd which had several males.

But Rahul's act ticked him off and he literally felt himself burning with jealousy. He had absolutely no recollection of when he nearly dashed out of his room and stood at the stairs.

''What the hell is going on here?''ASR snarled,gnashing his teeth.

Everyone jumped out their skins at his furious voice and flinched at  the sight of him looking like an angry bull.

ASR glared with the force of black hole at the hand that Rahul still had casually  thrown across khushi's shoulder and it was immediately withdrawn.Rahul didn't wish to be tasered by ASR!

''Is this the office of a National Security Agency or a fish market?''ASR asked through his teeth.

''Everybody back to work!And Ms.Gupta,please come with me to my cabin!'' He ordered and marched towards his room.

Khushi after receiving a smug expression that Akash shot her way and which she quite literally didn't understand,meekly followed ASR to his cabin.

Once inside the confines of his cabin,ASR turned to look at khushi and was astonished to find her looking nervous.With a jolt he realised she was scared of his yells and ire!

''Khushi how are you doing?''ASR asked her gently,taking a deep,calming breath.

''Huh?" Khushi's eyes flashed up to meet his and she looked impish as if she were expecting more of lashing outs that she had seen moments before.

''Are you Ok?''ASR enunciated each syllable.

''Yeah of course!''She replied too quickly.

ASR stared at her brooding and involuntarily the images from the night when she was shot flooded his mind.He remembered how she had closed her eyes in anguish and the chocking feeling of utter despair that he had experienced when he had thought he had lost her and his entire being shied away from that hideous debacle.

He stared at khushi with relief and contentment as she stood there in all her cherubic glory and he felt an impromptu,desperate urge to hug her,to hold her close to his heart and protect her from all evil that conspired against her and he couldn't really ward it off!

Taking long strides,ASR closed the gap between him and khushi and pulled her in an embrace.Her sweet smell made his head whirl and so did her demur moves as she shyly reciprocated his hug,and he lost his coherence,his senses.

''I missed you a lot!It wasn't the same without you!''ASR blurted passionately, not caring for the moment whether she thought of him as a love sick maniac.

Khushi was stunned to hear his confession.She slowly buried her face in his chest to hide her cheeks that were now burning.

''Me too!''She whispered,inhaling the sweet smell of his cologne.

ASR was shocked,his arms rigid around her. Khushi's words triggered a flood of emotions in him in which he drowned,staggered.When he emerged from the tide,he wasn't the same man who once gave the devil himself a run for his money owing to his terrible temper and rude demeanor.

His hideous past had made hi shun himself away from the world.He had lost his faith,his hope and every single positivity.Though,he never believed in God ,he had become an ardent believer of Satan,and saw his shadow in every human for it had been his own Uncle who had played devil in his life,snatching away his childhood and most of all his parents!

Yet now as he heard khushi reciprocate his feelings,the world suddenly didn't look like a bleak,callous place,painted in only black but had the brightest hues in it.The color of love and hope!It was as if khushi had resurrected the human in him, rekindled his faith....

ASR tightened his arms around khushi,clinging on to her as if she were his talisman,the one which could ward off every evil,hurt and pain!

''Khushi I lo....''Caught in the spur of the moment,he nearly confessed,but a brusque knock on the door brought his to his senses.

Khushi and ASR broke apart and looked away from each other,blushing!

''I'll go and get the door.''ASR mumbled unnecessarily,feeling like an idiot.

He opened the door to find a watchful Chandru!

PART 49

Khushi bathed and dressed up in a white eyelet sleeveless shirt which she had teamed up with a blue jeans.She took towel and sauntered,bare-footed in the kitchen still unaware of ASR's presence.

''Jiji,where are you?Jiji?''Khushi called.

ASR turned as he heard her pursuit and felt his heart jump to his throat.She looked absolutely stunning.He was so lost in her beauty that he didn't even notice Payal coming.

''Oho khushi why are you screaming?Even a person standing metres away could clearly hear your voice.You truly have got a set of lungs girl!''Payal glared reprovingly at her younger sister.

''Jiji,from where are you coming?''Khushi asked puzzled.

''I went to help Shmita maasi with some motifs that she had embroidered yesterday.....Why?What's the matter?''Payal queried at the dropped jaw of her sister.

''I f you weren't there in the house then who....who helped m...I mean who was there  here?I swear that there was some...''Khushi blubbered,looking positively terrified.

Someone had entered the bathroom when she had been wrapped in only a towel and had helped her wash her face!If ever her buaji,Maa or Papa found out.....

''Don't panic khushi.Arnavji was there and...''

''Arnavji!''Khushi shrieked,as soon as she found her voice.Her reddened cheeks could've put even a ripe tomato to shame.

Payal and Arnav jumped a foot in the air at her sudden outburst.

''Khushi what......''Payal began bewildered.

''Khushi that I...I.''ASR stared at some spot above her head,ill at ease.

Khushi stifled a yell that threatened to leave her by stuffing her fist inside her mouth and ran as fast as her legs could possibly carry her to her room.

''Khushi wait!''Payal called,unable to comprehend her sister's reactions.

''I think I scared  her!Um..I'll go and talk to her.''ASR mumbled and went to khushi's room,leaving behind a flabbergasted Payal.

''Khushi..I..I'm sorry.Actually I tried to tell you,but you didn't let me speak and Payal was nowhere in the vicinity,that's why I had to...You know...''ASR tried to explain himself,words nearly tumbling out of his mouth in a mad rush.

Khushi and ASR stood  a foot apart in the room,gazing fixedly at the floor.They didn't have the guts to look at each other and looked in a serious search of a pit to disappear in.

Khushi glanced up at him fleetingly from under her lashes and decided to save him from the embarrassment.

''No,that's Ok!I know you weren't at fault.I don't mind.''She said shyly,before realizing what her words could construe to mean.

ASR's surprised eyes flashed up to meet hers.What did she mean by she didn't mind?A wicked glint came on his face and khushi acknowledged that she had put her foot in her mouth.A major 'oops'!

''So you don't mind huh?''ASR asked stepping forward.

''No...I...I mean that I didn't mean that...''Khushi stuttered,stepping backwards.

''Then what did you mean?''He asked,enclosing her between his arms and the wall.

Khushi felt the world whirl as ASR's breath washed her face and he leaned even closer in the non-existent place between them.

''Arnavji''she whispered,closing her eyes in anticipation.

ASR suppressed a smile at her reaction,quite pleased with the effect he had on her.He leaned forward and trailed his nose from the edge of her jaw to her earlobe,making her shiver.

''Next time,check the water level before going for bath.''He whispered in her ear and stepped back chuckling.

Khushi opened her eyes and glared at him furiously.He had made her show her longing for him.

After an hour after enjoying khushi's discomfort under his intense gaze,ASR returned RM,unaware that his family was waiting to pounce on him the moment he entered.

''Chote can you please take nani,ma and mamiji to khushiji's house?Actually it has been several days since we visited her.And since Armaanji and Akash are busy,I was hoping that you'd take us?Besides she is your team member so you should also come with us,being a caring and responsible chief.''Anjali asked innocently.

''Di actually I don't...I mean I can't come.''ASR tried to explain,though he very much wanted to go.

But,it really wasn't decent to visit someone's house so freequently.

''Very bad chote.She's your teammate.You should come with us.''Anjali chided him,hiding her smile.

''No di,its not that!Bhai is refusing because he just returned from khushi's house!''Akash informed,wriggling his eyebrows like villain in vaundeville.

''What?''Anjali,nani and mami feigned surprise.

''Chote since when did you become so caring that too for a girl?''Nani teased.

ASR glared at his family.

''Stop it Please!I'm going to my room!''He said frustrated.

He stomped upstairs,leaving his smug family at his wake.

PART 48

ACP Arnav Singh Raizada stared at an overcast sky in great trepidation.He was greatly unnerved by the conversation that he had eavesdropped on that afternoon in the hospital between  between Surinder Manohar Jha and his son.His anxiety was also seasoned by a tinsy twang of gratification on having recognised that nagging sense of de javu that he had felt on seeing Surinder Manohar Jha.

He could vividly recall the numerous times he had seen his uncle in his company. In fact,Surinder Manohar Jha was present at the time of that hideous debacle 14 years ago.Did that mean that he too was responsible for his marred childhood?

ASR's head spun with the unanswered questions and conundrums and he vowed to find every hidden layer of his obscure past.After calling all his informers and instructing them strictly to search every possible facet of Surinder Mnohar Jha and his family,he himself settled down to rummage through the high profile police database that he had access to being the Assistant Commissioner of the S.T.F.He ransacked every record of drug-peddling thoroughly yet futilely.

ASR banged his laptop shut and glared in the omnipresent bloom in his room,thinking,his mind whizzing.

His foe was more cunning and possibly highly dangerous than he had estimated!

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The days passed by at the pace of a vivid film and soon khushi was discharged from the hospital,fully recuperated.Still she had gained leave for getting proper rest much to her chagrin as Shyam frequented Gupta house more than necessary with his cloyish pretense of concern,yet her pleadings had no effect on ASR whatsoever.It was a difficult decision for him too,staying away from her,especially when that Shyam droppen in every now and then at her house,still her health was his first priority.

On one such uneventful which verged on the border of being tedious,khushi found herself alone with her jiji,who babied her kittens!Buwaji,Shashi and Garima had gone to attend a function in one of the family friend's house and had left Payal behind to look after khushi for she had not bothered to accompany them.

Khushi was tired of Buwaji's incessant harping about Shyam and so she had refused to go with her family in order to savour some Shyambabua-is-a-jem-of-a-person ballad which she had been subjected to more than often ever since her accident,to her immense displeasure!

''Jiji,what does Buwaji sees in that Shyamji that she considers every minute that she is not heaping praises on him as waste?''Khushi wondered,more to herself than to Payal,who was folding clothes at the foot of the bed.

''Khushi,leave it!Don't  strain yourself.Let Buwaji blubber whatever she wants,you know her habit,don't you?''Payal said reasonably.

''But still jiji!There has to be some reason for Buwaji behaving like an utterly besotted woman!You know what they may some day even announce their engagement!''Khushi giggledd at the thought.

Payal rolled her eyes and threw towel at her crazy sister.

''Shut up you dumbo!And go and take bath before Buwaji arrives,otherwise don't expect me not to tell her what you blabbered just now.''

Khushi stuck her tongue out at Payal,but complied all the same.She went to take a shower.

Suddenly the door bell rang and Payal opened it to find ASR standing there.

''Arnavji?''

''Oh hello Payal.Is khushi there?I mean I just dropped in to check how is she?'' ASR muttered awkwardly.

''Of course!Please come in!''Payal showed him in.

''Payal bitiya!Payal bitiya!''A shrill voice called.

''Uh,excuse me!I'll be right back.''Payal said and walked out of the door.

Their neighbour Shomita Aunty needed some help. 

Unaware of the happenings,khushi was happily bathing in the washroom when water got finished.

''Ugh,damn it!This crappy water had to go just now!Jiji!Jiji!Please switch on the motor,there's no water overhead!.....No,first bring some water so that I can wash my face,my eyes are stinging!Jiji!''Khushi yelled.

ASR heard her call in the living room and immediately went up to the door to call Payal,who was no where to be seen.

''Jiji!Are you listening?Please hurry up!My eyes are stinging like hell!''She called again,wrapping a towel around her torso.

ASR stood perplexed,unsure,trying to locate Payal futilely.But it seemed like  that he himself will have to help khushi and the thought made him gulp.

He went to the dining table and started towards khushi's room with a jug filled with water in his hand.

ASR knocked brusquely on the door and silently tried to hand the jug over to khushi as soon as the door opened.

''Jiji,I can't even open my eyes.Please come in and help me with it!I've already wrapped towel.''Khushi pleaded through closed eyes.

ASR entered the bathroom nervously to see the etheral beauty therein.She was wrapped in a blue towel which clung sinuously to her soft body.There was soap foam covering her body and water dripped from her hair.He followed the course of one droplet that made way from her hair to her collarbone and down to her cleavage and he gulped hard.

''Ofo jiji!What are you doing ?Help me please!''

ASR awoke from his enchanted reverie and gently helped her to wash her face,trying to futilely avert his eyes from her.

Before khushi could open her eyes he silently slid out of the bathroom.If it was so awkward for him,it will be worse for khushi if she came to know that it him who helped her not her jiji and admittedly,he didn't have much quota of self control!

I'M BACK GUYS!

Hi guys,

Arshiseet,Razy di and Nuts4arshi,thank you so much for your well wishes.I'll soon start posting this story.Please read my new story'DUSK AND DAWN...' . The characters are same but plot is different.I hope you'll like it.I've already posted the first chapter.

                                      The link is on right side,below Midnight Rider.Please let me know!

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